Plant Rhabdoviruses

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of plant rhabdovirus structure and taxonomy, genome structure, protein function, and insect and plant infection. It is focused on recent research and unique aspects of rhabdovirus biology. Plant rhabdoviruses are transmitted by aphid, leafhopper or planthopper vectors, and the viruses replicate in both their insect and plant hosts. The two plant rhabdovirus genera, Nucleorhabdovirus and Cytorhabdovirus, can be distinguished on the basis of their intracellular site of morphogenesis in plant cells. All plant rhabdoviruses carry analogs of the five core genes: the nucleocapsid (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix (M), glycoprotein (G) and large or polymerase (L). However, compared to vesiculoviruses that are composed of the five core genes, all plant rhabdoviruses encode more than these five genes, at least one of which is inserted between the P and M genes in the rhabdoviral genome. Interestingly, while these extra genes are not similar among plant rhabdoviruses, two encode proteins with similarity to the 30K superfamily of plant virus movement proteins. Analysis of nucleorhabdoviral protein sequences revealed nuclear localization signals for the N, P, M and L proteins, consistent with virus replication and morphogenesis of these viruses in the nucleus. Plant and insect factors that limit virus infection and transmission are discussed.